


a strange and lovely bird

by oceanterminal



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, angel au, angel!kaoru, but oh how lovely they are, misaki is just a human
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-13 18:19:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18474466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oceanterminal/pseuds/oceanterminal
Summary: At the top of the hill behind Misaki's house stands a birdfeeder. Each day, she makes the journey to refill it with grain.One day, a strange bird with white wings appears at her feeder.





	a strange and lovely bird

**Author's Note:**

> happy birthday crash!!!! i hope you enjoy this hastily crafted fic c:

In the dawn of summer, when the awn of the wheat stalks rustles in the wind, a strange bird comes to the feeder.

“Who are you?” Misaki says, with a bowl of seed in her arms. The figure at the feeder turns, snowy-white wings dropping glittering dust as they shift. She seems to pay Misaki’s question no heed, as she pauses, silent for a few moments.

“Where are your wings?” the figure says, no longer distant and musing, but worried. She paces towards Misaki and grabs her shoulder with the tender touch of a spring breeze, peering behind her.

“Don’t – why would I have wings? I’m a human,” Misaki says, jerking back. The figure smiles.

“Don’t be so silly. You’re an angel, as am I.”

Misaki is convinced this strange, winged-person is insane.

“Pray tell, what is your name, my gentle, unwinged friend?” the figure continues, reaching to tip Misaki’s chin.

“My name is Misaki,” she says, avoiding the outstretched hand, “what’s yours?”

“You may call me Kaoru,” she says, absolutely unperturbed, “I am the artisan of heartfelt words, and the harbinger of warmth.

“Misaki! Are you coming back?” A voice calls her from the house.

“I have to go – it was nice to meet you, Kaoru,” she says, tipping the birdseed from the bowl into the feeder. How strange, for a winged person to manifest in her backyard.

Well, she can’t really say she owns it – she just tends to the land that no-one else has claimed.

“It was my pleasure,” Kaoru says, offering a sweeping bow, as Misaki follows the dirt path back home.

* * *

 The next day, when the blistering summer heat is almost too much to bear, that strange bird is still at her feeder.

“Misaki! I beg of you, what are these strange creatures? They bear the wings of angels, but they are so petite and so fragile,” Kaoru asks, an arm held out with three birds contently sitting on it. If nothing else, at least the birds liked her. Made sense, if she thought about it – maybe birds of a feather was too on the nose.

“You mean, the birds…?”

“Marvellous. They are simply divine. I’ve never seen such wonderful beasts in all the lands of Heaven!” Kaoru says, absolutely enchanted. Her eyes twinkle as yet another bird takes perch on her arm. She moves with a gentleness that doesn’t disturb them, yet her enthusiasm is evident in each and every gesture. What kind of a person doesn’t know what birds are…?

“Are those…real?” Misaki says, placing her bowl on the ground and point towards Kaoru’s wings. “They’re not just props, are they…?”

“What jest! Of course they are real,” Kaoru says, twirling once again and scattering shimmering dust about the grass. It sparkles in the air as it falls, and for a brief moment, Misaki almost believes this strange one really is an angel. It’s preposterous, of course, but –

“Your wing,” Misaki mumbles, hesitant to reach out and touch what suddenly seemed so fragile, “is it hurt?”

“Ah, you are too kind – “ Kaoru says, touching her forehead with her index finger, “yes, it is true. I ran into some trouble on an errand, and found myself unable to fly. Then I saw the glimmer of a beautiful angel and her familiars on a hilltop, and decided to wait there.”

Beautiful…? Okay. Alright. Whatever.

Wait, familiars? Ugh. Misaki exhales heavily, rubbing her temples. “Will it heal?”

“It will, in time. Alas, I may miss the summer solstice, though. How fleeting are the joys of man.”

“Hm?” Misaki blinks, “what’s so special about the summer solstice?”

“The great Phoenix is reborn from the ashes of love, and the angels are permitted to take flight in pursuit of ardency once more,” Kaoru says, flourishing her wings. “It is a blessed and sacred ritual in heaven.”

The phoenix…? This just gets harder and harder to believe, but…

Misaki gently runs her hand down one of Kaoru’s wings. Those feathers are too lifelike to be real. They feel just like a bird’s, fluffy and soft on the underside like down, yet sleek at the tips.

“I see you too are starstruck by the radiance of my wings – fear not, dear wingless one, for once I have recovered you may see these glorious, shimmering feathers in flight,” Kaoru says, pressing a hand to her clavicle in seemingly genuine regret.

“…right,” Misaki says, squatting down and picking up a feather. “I’ve chores to do, so I’ll see you later.”

“Farewell for now, wingless one!”

* * *

 When the sun is easier on the eyes, bright but not burning, Misaki takes her sketchbook and pencil to the birdfeeder on the hill, and starts to draw.

“I had no idea you were so talented, wingless one,” Kaoru says, “Truly, your penmanship carves the beauty and truth of the world onto paper, cementing it’s existence for the all. To see through your eyes is one of the greatest honors.”

“Thanks,” Misaki mumbles, ignoring yet another of Kaoru’s kaoruisms, and tracing the outline of the birds at the feeder. “I don’t draw often, but I like to, when I have time. Usually I’m too busy looking after my siblings, but my parents are around today.”

Her pencil is probably far too blunt at the end to capture this scene with any sense of precision, but that doesn’t matter, probably. She’s never been particular good at art – so long as she can capture the essence and shape of it, that’s enough.

“Your attention to detail is astounding,” Kaoru says, leaning closer, “those feathers are captured at such a precise angle, and what beauty – could I trouble you to capture me with your pen and paper?”

Misaki groans, “You want me to draw you…? Ugh, okay…go stand over there in the light, and try to stay still.”

Kaoru stands up with a twirl, and flutters a distance away, striking a pose with her wings extended and arms poised as if yearning for something. Honestly – who does she think she is…? How dramatic…

Still, there’s something peaceful about sketching her, as birds flutter to rest on her, drawn to her by a feeling of kinship and safety. Maybe Misaki feels that too, just a little bit.

When Misaki finishes, there’s a puddle of feathers at Kaoru’s feet.

“Here,” Misaki says, handing over her sketchbook, and then instantly regretting doing so, because something in her chests aches and stings. “…what do you think?”

Kaoru stares, holding at sketchbook at arm’s length as she scans every inch of the page with darting eyes. “This is how you see me..?”

Beat.

“I love it,” Kaoru says, with a smile full of sunshine and the warmth of a sunray. The ache in Misaki’s chest goes nowhere.

When the sun is hidden behind clouds and the sky threatens to overflow, Misaki makes her way to the feeder at the top of the hill. Like always, Kaoru is waiting for her.

“Misaki! A pleasure to see you, as always.”

“Hey,” Misaki says, clutching at the secret behind her back, “I made you something, so could you – turn around?”

“A gift? Why, Misaki, I…” Kaoru shifts around, pressing a palm to her chest, “I’m so touched. To what do I owe such a grand display of generosity?”

Misaki gently takes it out from behind her and affixes it as best she can. Loop the strap around her shoulder and fasten, adjust the length to her shoulder, and a gentle tug to make sure it’s secure, and – well, what do you know, looks like it fits just fine.

“You said you were going to miss the summer solstice, right?” Misaki says, folding her arms, “Your wing wasn’t going to heal in time, so I thought I could make something and see if it would help.”

It took some time, but she’d sown together the part of the wing Kaoru was missing, made up of the birds feathers she’d found scattered on the ground. It was patchwork, but she’d followed her drawings as best she could, and Kaoru did say they were accurate.

“I don’t know if it’d actually do anything, but I figured it was worth a try,” she says, wondering if maybe it’d been pointless. What are the odds that Kaoru can actually fly, anyw—

Misaki’s breath escapes from her as Kaoru takes off into the air, glimmering wings trailing fairy dust into the air. She twist and turns and dives, like soaring through the air is something natural to her – maybe it is.

She really can fly.

Kaoru lands back on the ground, dust shimmering around her, and extends a hand.

“Misaki, this is the most wonderful gift you could have granted me,” she says, eyes glistening, “Please, come with me to view the solstice. Let me be your wings, and carry you.”

“I can’t. Sorry. My family needs me – to look after my siblings, and to help around the house,” Misaki says, staring at the ground.

“Then this is farewell, I suppose,” Kaoru says, stepping forwards, tipping Misaki’s chin, and pressing a kiss to her forehead. Her lips feel so…warm. “Thank you for your help and companionship, Misaki. I shan’t forget you, nor the kindness you have shown me.”

Misaki involuntarily turns a soft shade of pink, and folds in on herself.

“It’s fine, so – see you later, I guess. Bye.”

The sky is overcast, and as Kaoru takes off into the sky, a droplet of rain splashes onto Misaki’s forehead.

* * *

 As the summer wanes, each day brings a new bird to the feeder. They chirp enthusiastically for feed, and peck at the bowl Misaki carries before she can fill the feeder. They don’t rest on her arms, nor do they come near her. Instead, they scurry around her until she steps back, and then they flood to the feeder.

After a few minutes, Misaki walks down the dirt path back home. She has chores to do.

* * *

 At the end of summer, when the awn of the wheat stalks rustles in the wind, Misaki comes to the feeder.

She has a bowl of grain in her arms, at the heat of the sun on her back.

At the top of the hill, right beside the feeder is a very strange bird, and Misaki runs to greet her.


End file.
